This year’s Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama contest is going to be a fun free-for-all, and we might be surprised by who ends up on top. After all, without a clear frontrunner — like last year’s winner, Margo Martindale — it could also be time for oft-nominated Christina Hendricks, brand-newbie Morena Baccarin, or frequently-overlooked Regina King and Maggie Siff to make a grab for the gold.

I was just about to comment that if any female deserves a nom it would be Lena. Cersei could be so one-dimensional in other hands, Lena Headey is just flawless as Cersei. Emilia is good, but nowhere near as compelling as Lena.

Yeah this was more Lena’s year then Emilia’s. I love Emilia and she’s great but book 1 was Dany’s journey, not book 2. Lena had tons of great scenes through this season but her high point was Blackwater.

Completely agree. Headey has a much better submission episode in Blackwater than anything Clarke has this season. She might get nominated in future seasons when she has better material to work with, but this season Headey was definitely the best actress on the show.

Lena or Maisie Williams deserve it. And they certainly deserve it far more than Emilia Clarke. I feel like whoever contributed to this list didn’t even watch this season of GoT. If they had… they would never have put Emilia (who I love but just didn’t have strong material this year) on here.

Completely agree. I wrote in Lena in the “other” box and I would have added Maise if it I were allowed. Lena and/or Maisie deserve a nod. In fact, I would place Michelle Fairley before Emilia. I have nothing against Emilia but the material wasn’t great for her this season. Next year will be another story.

YES. Lena deserves a nom so much. I’d also love to see Sophie Turner acknowledged; her Sansa has dealt with a lot this season and she portrays her with such grace. Maisie too. The females on this show are amazing! But while I love Emilia, I think she’s the least deserving of an award this season.

Agreed. I think Emilia Clarke is very capable, but she just hasn’t had the material this year to warrant being nominated. Only in the season finale did she get to do anything. I would much rather see Lena Heady, Maisie Williams, or Sophie Turner nominated for Game of Thrones this year.

Lana Parrilla. She is absolutely flawless, and I feel like she is too unrecognized (the rest of the show, too) for her INCREDIBLE acting. She brings such depth and pain and humanity to the classic Evil Queen/Regina Mills.

Agreed, all Daenerys did was get more and more shrill throughout the season until the last episode when she finally showed a little more in her character, but I don’t think that was because of Clarke, the writers could have done a lot more with her character but they chose not too. As much as I hate the character Cersei, Lena Heady fully deserves this prize. Along with Lana Parilla.

Someone has got to say it: it’s ridiculous that “Dexter”‘s Jennifer Carpenter gets overlooked year after year– what does she have to do as Deb to get shown some Emmy love?! Deb is a complex and incredible character who has shown sooo much growth over the show’s six seasons; granted, I HATED the storyline they gave her this year (and the writing on the show has certainly gotten bad), but Carpenter is absolutely fantastic in the role, regardless. Incredible range of emotions and so much depth to a character that really is the heart of such a dark show. Please give her an Emmy!!!

Yes Yes Yes! 100% agree. She so deserves it this year just like Ellen does the lead but that will go to Claire Danes hands down. At least give Ellen the nomination for once. I know i may be biased a bit but Grey’s had so many good episodes this season.

Others are Lana Parilla and Maggie Smith for me. Lana is amazing in Once and sort of surprised she is not lead considering she is the headliner in the episodes. As for Maggie Smith those one liners are classic.

GIVE Sandra Oh the Looooooooong Deserving Emmy!! She plays a charater with so much variations with such ease and perfection that it is so unbelievable that she has been overlooked last year even for a nomination! This season, with the hole abortion/cheating husband/boards drama, she has delivered every bit with perfection! to neglect this would be SAD!

Sandra Oh has the tape to win… If she’s nominated, and dosen’t win. The process of the emmys is flawed in many many ways(as it is already,IMO)…So if Sandra Oh dosen’t win, I’ll be mad. Why keep nominating her for things if they are never going to award her? I’m happy she has a Golden Globe and SAG award..It makes you wonder though how she can’t win an Emmy. Sandra Oh is very derserving… I’ll never stop saying that..But if she doesn’t get noticed for this season on Greys..thats it for me wishing she would..cause it wont happen. She’ll always turn in amazing work though..but I’ll just move on from wanting and wishing.. It’s nice to see all the love for Sandras work still :)

Where is Maisie Williams? Her portrayal of Arya Stark was the highlight of this season of Game of Thrones. It takes real talent for a teenager (with no prior professional acting experience, mind you) to show up Charles Dance in evey scene she had with him.

Sophie Turner, who plays Sansa Stark, was also fantastic this season. Her role is less showy, but no less important.

As great as Maisie was this season (not to be *spoilery* but if you’ve read the books you will understand this, if not you’ll think I’m nuts)

there will be one episode next season which will likely blow this entire season out of the water for her. As good as she is, mixed with the fact that George RR Martin said it was the hardest chapter he ever had to write in the books, should translate to emmy gold for that child. She will kill it.

I agree ENTIRELY. If we’re putting Kiernan Shipka, another fantastic child actress on this list, we need her equally excellent peer Maisie Williams. Game of Thrones has a million incredible lady actors, but she is totally number one.

Voted for Archie Panjabi, Sandra Oh and Lana Parrilla, because her Regina is way more complicated and compelling character, than Emma and Mary/Snow, even though they are considered as lead characters.
I’d love to see Lena Heady nominated, but well… it won’t happen for lots of reasons.

Is Lena Headey under the lead category? Because if not, it’s ridiculous for her not to be here. She should win everything! Love that Keirnan Shipka is on the list, as well as Christina Hendricks. Not sure January even had enough scenes to be considered supporting lol. Sandra Oh, Anna Gunn, and Kelly MacDonald round out my list.

It doesn’t seem like anyone from GoT is submitted for lead roles. Even Peter Dinklage is in the running for supporting actor, and I thought for sure he’d submit himself for lead this season due to certain cast departures from season 1.

I cannot believe Lena Headey is not on this list. The scenes between her and Peter Dinklage are like an acting Master Class. And then her scenes in the penultimate episode, with Sansa, as she was drinking wine and becoming more and more unhinged, to the point where she almost killed her own son. Oh man, that was incredible acting. I felt she won herself the Emmy in that episode.

Lana Parrilla. Hands down the best actress on OUAT and easily my favorite in the entire supporting category. Even though Sandra Oh and Lena Heady were awesome this year as well. But I’m afraid Grey’s Anatomy’s way-past-it’s-prime status and OUAT’s fantasy aspect don’t bode well for SO and LP.

The fact that despite all the Emmy love for Mad Men, it’s two best actresses have never won is a sham. Hopefully the anticipation and the storylines make Emmy voters finally declare this the year for Mad Men’s women.

Completely agree with this. Maggie Siff was a-mah-zing this season and she totally deserves a nomination. I was blown away by her performance. I also think Sandra Oh deserves to be nominated too. Each of these ladies elevated their shows to another level with the caliber of their dramatic work. And no, I am not their agent. :P

Emilia Clarke is on the list but Lena Headey is not, really? Her performance in Blackwater was awesome. She should definitely win this year if you ask me.
But I also think that Maggie Smith and Jennifer Carpenter did both an amazing job this year!

Two words: Caterina Scorsone.I know everyone thinks it is a silly show. But she kicked tail this year. Her performance in the drug intervention episode was mesmerizing and she was amazing all year. Never really heard of her before but wow…chill bumps…make fun of the show (I like it myself) but there is no denying she was phenomenal this year as was the always incredible Kadee Strickland who should have been nominated last year. Before you laugh, watch that episode.

I agree with you. Caterina was phenomenal this past season but I fear she’ll suffer the same fate as the wonderful KaDee Strickland did last year and not get a nomination either. It’s criminal that KaDee wasn’t able to crack this category for Charlotte’s storyline last year. She was beyond amazing. =(

Lana Parrilla for sure – Her character actually makes the show, which is funny seeing as its a supporting character… But still she definitely deserves a nomination! Especially since, in essence, she is actually playing 2 different versions of the same character and is doing such an amazing job!!

I love Grey’s but found Sandra Oh rather annoying and overdramatic this year. I actually voted for Chyler Leigh. In that one scene she had with Derek in which she told him she still loved Mark and in the parking lot where she told Mark she loved him it really pulled on my heartstrings. Her good portrayal of Lexie Grey is what made her a fan favourite. I also voted for Monica Potter who does an equally fantastic job on Parenthood.

Yes, definitely think Chyler Leigh deserves a nomination. Also Stana Katic from Castle too. Will all that her character has been through mainly this season from getting shot and recovery, PTSD, drowning and getting thrown off NYC buildings, Katic has definitely proved herself to be Emmy worthy.

Sandra Oh FTW, she is amazing as Christina Yang and she was on fire this year, her killing Teddy’s husband/ cheating/ and abortion storyline were superv. Also would vote for Monica Potter, Lana Parrila, Emilia Clark and I agree that Lena Headley should be here